So I was at Red Robin with the wife and while talking about themed restaurants, I thought why not a TF themed burger joint? These are the simple ideas I thought of:

The spicy burger would be called the Starscream
An original burger would be the Optimus
A high calories burger would be the Omega Supreme
A BBQ burger would be the Megatron
Child's burger would be the Bumble bee
Fries would be called Energon sticks
The bar area would be Unicron's lounge
The whole restaurant would have TF stuff all over; from the movie to the toys to different art work from comic writers. The TVs would always be playing something TF related. Well thats about as far as Ive thought up, itd be nice if it did come to fruition.

Sounds good, but I don't think a TFs themed restaurant would be successful. TFs are not Disney or Warnerbrothers. I think it would be popular within the community, but I wonder how it would last long-term with just the gimmick sustaining it. Also, the rights from Hasbro would be astronomical.

I think its funny how people of the fandom still think Transformers (Especially G1) is mainstream. This is not in the same league as things like Disney (like someone else said) or any of the other big name kids titles. A Disney Mickey Mouse burger joint would do extremely well for example. Transformers? Not so much.

I would go there though, because I am a fan of Transformers.

Actually, this COULD work, but you would have to turn it into an experience and not just a burger place with a Transformers theme, which wouldnt work. I can see a place with lavish big robots adorning the entire thing and maybe some animatronics. The dining area could be done up like a jungle with mist and a waterfall where insecticons and dinobots would round out the look and feel. Something like THAT may work ... something like THAT is very expensive. If your gonna do this, may as well go all the way or it is sure to fail.

Hate to be a negative Nancy, but yeah, I think the idea is good but unworkable.

I've thought about Transformers-branded automobile accessories. I think that might work and is something that would have a smaller overhead and smaller risk. I have ideas. I just don't have the time, money, knowledge, or skills.

Unfortunately I wouldn't have enough confidence in this idea being successful to invest anything but maybe some moral support.

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People tend to go for ambiance and a gimic when they go to new resaurants. Rainforest Cafe is extremely popular for example just because people like the experience of eating in a place that makes it sort of feel like a rainforest. There is mist, a waterfall, lavish plants that adorn the walls and ceiling. There are animal animatronics, thunder and other sound effects. That is what makes that place popular.

Make a Transformers place like that with robots and elaborate designs instead of just pictures, some televisions, and some small robot ... And you may have something. Picture themed places have been done before. Its not like people will be wowed by a cheap showing. Nobody cares about transformers episodes on the tv, that gets boring.

Make it really stand out. Pictures? Little robots? Episodes on tv? Give me a break you are thinking like every other joe schmoe ... And that never sells. Only unique and inventive ideas get really successful.

People tend to go for ambiance and a gimic when they go to new resaurants.

Make it really stand out. Pictures? Little robots? Episodes on tv? Give me a break you are thinking like every other joe schmoe ... And that never sells. Only unique and inventive ideas get really successful.

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One word: Dive. That would be the submarine-gimmick/theme restaurant, a unique and inventive idea sprung from the mind of one Steven Spielberg, which closed after five years.

And where in my original post did I display any of this "joe schmoe" thinking you're calling me out on? Tell you what, you present to us all a business plan incorporating all of your grandiose ideas for the restaurant design itself (marketing plan and sales strategy, management and organization, etc. aside) and make it profitable long term (i.e. people aren't turned off by paying $20 for a cheeseburger), and this "joe schmoe" will shaddap.

I'd say a Star Wars-theme restaurant has a way better chance for long-term success than Transformers. And I'm sure there are valid reasons why after over 30 years of being a worldwide phenomenon we have yet to see one.

One word: Dive. That would be the submarine-gimmick/theme restaurant, a unique and inventive idea sprung from the mind of one Steven Spielberg, which closed after five years.

And where in my original post did I display any of this "joe schmoe" thinking you're calling me out on? Tell you what, you present to us all a business plan incorporating all of your grandiose ideas for the restaurant design itself (marketing plan and sales strategy, management and organization, etc. aside) and make it profitable long term (i.e. people aren't turned off by paying $20 for a cheeseburger), and this "joe schmoe" will shaddap.

I'd say a Star Wars-theme restaurant has a way better chance for long-term success than Transformers. And I'm sure there are valid reasons why after over 30 years of being a worldwide phenomenon we have yet to see one.

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I was saying that making a burger joint and just throwing up pictures and some televisions is something that has been done over and over and over again and will surely fail. Even if you took StarWars and made a burger joint by just throwing up pictures, some simple statues, and televisions everywhere it would fail. Simple as that ... its been done many a time and the only thing that would make it successful is some kick ass burgers.

People will flock to a place with kick ass ambiance, but great burgers before they go to a place with a kick ass burgers, and so-so ambiance. Some of the top restaurants have food that is similar quality to most mid-range ones, but the top rated ones get all of the people because of the ambiance.

I was saying that unless you are going to create some of the best burgers (you have much competition), you have to create the best ambiance to give you an edge ... otherwise it is much more difficult. Without that, you put yourself square in line with hundreds of other places to get a good burger.

I think the only place this might work is at a theme park like Universal Studios or something like that where they already have themed-based stores/restaurants. Outside of that, not sure how many regular peope would want to go to a restaurant based on a kids franchise. Not enough to sustain it for long after the initial opening interest.

Maybe a better option is to make a cartoon based version of Chuck-E-Cheese but not limit it to Transformers but all different cartoons (not all kids like TFs). Both boy and girl themed shows so widen the market (Families with girls probably will not want to go to a TF/GIJoe restaurant but they might go if Strawberry Shortcake stuff is there as well that little Suzie likes). Maybe have a boys-themed area separated from the girls-themed area so one gender doesn't have to wait through the other's portion of the entertainment.

Also it has to include modern stuff as well as 80's stuff. So you'd have to put on Ed, Edd, & Eddy stuff as well since little kids would be familiar with that over Voltron that aired 20 years before they were born.